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“What’s Inflated. What Isn’t.”

Wages vs Inflation (2019–2026)

Compare wage growth to inflation since 2019. See whether paychecks are keeping up with rising prices using BLS data.

The central question of the inflation era: are wages keeping up? Nominal wages have risen 28% since 2019, but cumulative inflation of ~22% has eaten most of those gains. Here's the full picture. See how wages compare against Rent by State, Grocery Price Changes, and Inflation by Category.
The Wages Index: 2015–2025
Average hourly earnings, total private sector (U.S., seasonally adjusted)
$21.25$24.88$28.50$32.13$35.75$39.382015$25.502016$26.002017$26.802018$28.002019$28.502020$29.902021$32.002022$33.402023$34.752024$35.802025
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (CES0500000003)keepingupwithinflation.com
Then (2019)
$28.00/hr
Now (2025)
$35.80/hr
Change
+28%
The Inflation Index: 2015–2026
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), 1982–84 = 100, seasonally adjusted
201.47233.02264.58296.14327.69359.252015240.012016245.122017251.112018254.412019257.562020266.242021288.352022302.412023312.152024320.232025326.592026
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (FRED CPIAUCSL)keepingupwithinflation.com
Then (2019)
254
Now (2026)
327
Change
+28%
CPI Inflation Rate: 2015–2026
Year-over-year percent change in CPI-U — the number quoted in headlines
0.1%1.8%3.6%5.3%7.1%8.8%20151.3%20162.1%20172.4%20181.8%20191.2%20204.7%20218.0%20224.1%20233.0%20242.7%20252.4%2026
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (FRED CPIAUCSL, YoY % change)keepingupwithinflation.com
Then (2019)
1.8%
Now (2026)
2.4%
Change
+0.6 pts
Nominal Wage Growth
BLS data shows average hourly earnings for private-sector workers rose from $28.00/hr in 2019 to $35.80/hr in 2025 — a 28% increase. The pace accelerated after 2020 as labor shortages pushed employers to raise pay.
Real Wage Growth
After adjusting for inflation, real wages are only slightly positive since 2019. Lower-wage workers saw the fastest nominal gains; middle-income workers have been the most squeezed.
The Purchasing Power Gap
Even where wages have technically outpaced CPI, specific categories like rent (+41%), auto insurance (+32%), and groceries (+25%) have risen faster than overall inflation, creating a felt squeeze that the headline numbers don't capture.
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